Archive for the ‘cruise-ins’ tag

Longtime and prolific Hemmings Daily reader and commenter Greg Gjerdingen is just coming to the end of his term as president of his local car club, the Willmar Car Club, but he’s also still serving as Car Show Chairman for the club and wanted to see what we thought about car show awards formats:

The Willmar Car Club has had annual car show since 1981. It has evolved into several trophy categories. There has been input from some club members to change to a Top 50 (40, 60 or whatever) format. Although I like sports and muscle cars, I always strive to provide exposure to all aspects of the automotive spectrum. Does Top ## help or discourage a wide variety of cars to participate in show? It would be interesting to see what experiences or ideas commenters would have. I am afraid that if we change formats it would be extremely difficult to rebuild the sponsorship required to put on a show with multiple classes.

What type of venue do people prefer: car show, cruise in, concours? Interesting things people have seen and enjoyed at a car event that added to the experience, stuff like that there, don’t cha know.

First off, props to the men and women around the country who give up their free time to put on car shows, regardless of the format. They bust their humps all year round for the love of cars, not only lining up the cars themselves, but also the advertising, the venue, the sponsorships, the hot dog vendor, the cadre of volunteers, and a million other details – and for their efforts, they get to deal with crybaby show participants and people who argue that the $5 entry fee is gonna bankrupt them.

Second, to answer Greg’s question generally, it all depends what the group organizing the show wants to accomplish with the show. Are they raising money for charity? Are they doing it for profit? Or are they just looking to get a bunch of cool cars in one place? Too many groups putting on car shows lose sight of their goals, especially after years of operation, and find themselves stuck with the burden of organizing a show rather than putting on a show for the fun of it. And riding on that advice, consider the audience as well – both participants and spectators. Are they a bunch of trophy hounds and tire polishers, or do they just want to set up some lawn chairs and talk cars with like-minded enthusiasts?

Personally, I think that most car shows break down the categories far too minutely and hand out too many awards. Sure, I understand how they got to that point – the regular Chevrolet guys get tired of the Corvettes always taking the Bowtie award, so they want the Corvette guys split off; the Model A owners want a category all to themselves; how exactly do you categorize a Chrysler TC by Maserati, oh well, let’s just give them their own section. But most shows are far too bound by strict categorization, model-year cutoffs and other attempts to label and organize the cars on the show field. And all those attempts – besides appearing a little Napoleon-ish – only facilitate exclusion and thus hurt the collector car scene in the long run.

If you have to stick with awards, I say stick with the ones that foster a sense of community – ones like People’s Choice, Hard Luck, and Youth Recognition – rather than ones that turn the show into a giant boiling competition.

But that’s just my opinion. Which car show awards format has worked best for the rest of you?

Willmar Car Club 2013 Old Man and his Old Car Cruise. Photo by Greg Gjerdingen.

Winter may still have its grip on much of the United States, but now is the time to start planning car shows, cruise-ins and other automotive-themed events for the coming year. Father’s Day, June 15, is a great time for such activities, and for the 15th year in a row, Hemmings wants to help your local club celebrate the “Old Man and his Old Car” by offering free promotion and discounted support material for events scheduled from June 13-15, 2014.

In addition to promoting your local car-themed Father’s Day celebration in the “Events” section of Hemmings Motor News (and online), we can supply clubs with vehicle ID signs, window decals, “Do Not Touch” signage, plastic bags, commemorative magnets and even a door prize for a lucky winner. There is a small fee associated with the merchandise, which varies with the number of participants expected and the exact items requested.

The Old Man and his Old Car celebration is a great way to promote both community involvement and the old car hobby, particularly on dad’s favorite day of the year. If your club is considering such an event, contact our club services coordinator, Melissa Telford, for details on pricing. She can be reached in our Bennington, Vermont, headquarters at (800) 227-4373, extension 79644.

With U.S. Senate Resolution 176, passed June 19, proclaiming the fourth annual Collector Car Appreciation Day, a number of classic car events will take place to celebrate our own little holiday next week, including a special Hemmings Motor News cruise-in.

In 2010, U.S. Senate Resolution 513 was passed to recognize the impact that the collector car hobby has on American culture, and July 9, 2010, marked the very first Collector Car Appreciation Day. In the years since, the proclamation has grown to an annual event, now celebrated in the United States, Canada and Australia. This year’s Collector Car Appreciation Day will take place Friday, July 12, as part of the Senate’s recognition of the fact “that the collection and restoration of historic and classic cars is an important part of preserving the technological achievements and cultural heritage of the United States.”

For this year’s Collector Car Appreciation Day, Hemmings Motor News will move its bi-weekly cruise-in from Thursday, July 11, to Friday, July 12. Participants (and spectators) will meet at the Hemmings Motor News headquarters in Bennington, Vermont, and the cruise-in will be followed by a road trip to a local drive-in theater. Events commemorating the day are scheduled in 39 U.S. states as well as New South Wales, Australia, and three Canadian provinces, meaning that Collector Car Appreciation Day has grown in size and scope from last year.

One of the best ways to get involved in the collector-car hobby is to attend a local car show or cruise-in. Car shows and cruise-ins are great places to look for a classic or muscle car. Although many car shows do not allow any advertising of cars for sale, owners may be looking for a prospective buyer for a sale in the future, or know of a car similar to theirs that is for sale by another owner. If you do find a car that is available, a car show is a great venue for seeing a prospective purchase in person and to talk at length to the owner. This buying experience is much more desirable than buying a car from pictures online or from a classified advertisement. So what’s the difference between all these events?

Cruise-ins are usually short, informal events, with most occurring over several hours on a weeknight or single weekend day. Generally, cruise-ins are free to attend, either for spectators or for participants. Cruise-ins are gatherings of people who drive their classic or muscle cars on a regular basis or people who just like to look at cars. The cars displayed at a cruise-in are often parked by arrival time, and friends who drive to the event together can park near each other, making the event more of a social gathering of friends. Sometimes, awards are given in different classes or categories, but the more informal the event, the less likely it is to have awards; each cruise-in is organized differently, depending on the sponsor or organizer. Judging at cruise-ins can be limited to people’s choice or can be performed by established judges, often members of the sponsoring club. A cruise-in can be a great place to learn about the pitfalls and advantages of owning a particular year, make and model of car. Owners look forward to sharing details about their car and how difficult, easy or expensive the restoration was.

A car show is one of the best places enthusiasts can network with other aficionados: trading restoration secrets, parts sources and opinions about what is happening in the hobby. Generally more organized than a cruise-in, a car show is sure to offer some type of award. Car show judging can be a little more involved than cruise-in judging, and the judges usually look more closely at the little details. Correctness, quality of interior, exterior and engine bay: These are all important when differentiating a class winner from a nice classic car at a large car show. You will find that the more cars available to judge, the more discerning the judging will be, so consider this possibility when attending a car show. National car clubs, such as the AACA and others, sponsor many car shows, and class judging rules can be stringent. Many car shows are themed by make, model or nationality (Fords, Corvettes or British cars, for example), so a little homework before the event is recommended. Most car shows will also have a car corral with restored or project cars for sale and some parts vendors who have inventories of good used parts and new items. Need a fender for a 1949 Ford? A car show is a good place to find one, and you will save on shipping, too. At the very least, you can talk with vendors face to face and see their parts and services firsthand.

A Concours d’Elegance is a little bit different from a car show or a cruise-in, in that you will find a more consistent showing of quality original and restoration vehicles presented for more intense judging. Concours events often require that participants be members of the sponsoring club or organization or that they submit entry paperwork well in advance of the event. Cars on display at a concours are by invitation only, and are often the very best examples available. Judging is scored by deductions at all AACA-sanctioned events. All cars receive a point rating on each judged item, and then points are deducted based on the appearance (cleanliness, fading or pitting of the chrome, dings or dents, correct bolts, etc.). Other scoring categories include suspension, engine compartment details, wheels, instrument panel, paint, frame and exhaust.

One thing that all three events have in common? They’re great places to meet people in the hobby, and a perfect venue to find out what kind of car is right for you. It’s an opportunity to ask questions, whether about a certain make or model, some facet of restoration you’re interested in, a club you might be interested in joining or a restoration shop you’ve heard about. Take the opportunity and run with it. Car people are among the most informative, inclusive and friendly on the planet. If you are thinking of entering a car in one of these events, start by attending a cruise-in or car show before actually entering your car. Experience is the best teacher when it comes to showing your car and winning an award.

Questions to Ask:
Which event should I be going to if I am new to the hobby?
You are always encouraged to attend each one as a spectator; however, if you want to enter your car, a cruise-in is probably the best place to show your car for the first time.

Are there minimum requirements to enter my car in these events?
Usually there are no minimum requirements at a cruise-in, but you should check with the event sponsor.

Do I have to belong to a car club to enter a vehicle?
Cruise-ins and most car shows do not require that you be a member of a car club to enter your vehicle, but you may encounter shows where some of the judging is limited to club members.

What can I expect at my first time showing a car?
Once you arrive at the event, car show staff will direct you to the proper parking area and may separate you by the class in which you are entered. Many veterans bring picnic lunches, books or board games to keep them occupied during the judging process, but it’s most often a time to talk with your friends.

How can I find out when and where shows are happening in my area?
One of the best resources to find an event in your area is through the Events Calendar on Hemmings.com. Every month, the publication devotes 40 to 60 pages of classified ads to upcoming events for the next month, broken down by state.